Archers thread #159: Sad news as 2023 draws to a close - RIP Ian Pepperell (Roy Tucker). Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like more of Gagriculture, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please! We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

We start this thread with the very sad news that Ian Pepperell, who played Roy Tucker from 1995 without a break, has died at the age of 53. There's a lovely tribute to him in this article from Jeremy Howe, the current Editor. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/dec/23/the-archers-actor-ian-pepperell-dies-aged-53-roy-archer-eastenders

Graham Blockey, who played Robert Snell, died just over a year ago, also far too young (66). https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/much-loved-surrey-gp-archers-25524449 As yet, Robert survives in Ambridge.

I do hope they don't re-cast Robert, but it might work for Roy, I suppose, after a suitable interval. They've re-cast Tony, Tom, Kate, Pip, Clarrie and Emma, mostly successfully. I still wish Tom and Pip hadn't been re-cast. New Tom is a good actor but so was Old Tom.

Meanwhile, several very elderly members of the cast survive, and long may that continue, although not necessarily on air. I think most of us would say that the time has come for Jill to become a silent character, following the precedent of Peggy and Christine.

So! Christmas next week - will it be the best Christmas ever at either Brookfield or The Stables, or both? Then it's 2024. What does the New Year hold for The Archers? Over to you!

Is there a good bakery in Sheffield for getting Chorley cakes?

If this is now the cooking thread, I plan to make a steak-and-kidney pudding for supper tomorrow and I'd like to ask people which they reckon is the best kidney to use?

I think you'd need to go t'other side of the Pennines.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime , I always thought it was beef kidney but I've never made one so wouldn't know.
Would lamb kidney taste different?

Is there an equivalent venison steak & kidney pie? Jennydarling would have known.

Is there an equivalent Borsetshire version of Chorley and Eccles cakes?

Is it just me who dislikes foods being described as things like an Eccle or a Yorkshire?

Maybe Fallon could rustle up some Ambridge cakes with flaky pastry and fruity filling.

Does Home Farm still farm venison? Will the scandi Te Rum (sp) be draped in deerskin (not organic) or goatskins (shot by Pat?) or Montbeliard skins?

Listening to the Profile thingy this morning, I think Emma Grundy will write a steamy bonkbuster and turn her life around. The lyrics from (I have a brand new) Combine Harvester will be the inspo, and will start every chapter.

I rarely visit a traditional butcher's shop. Judging from what's available in supermarkets you'd have difficulty finding any kidney, let alone a choice, but it might be better if you have a good butcher. It's decades since I last cooked a steak and kidney pie (I don't think I ever tried making a pudding) but I'd have gone for lamb kidney if I could have got it as ox kidney wasn't widely available. Good luck! Lovely winter food. Sadly nobody here except me eats beef now.

DM made the most wonderful steak and kidney pudding (or Kate and Sidney pudding as DF insisted on calling it). You could just buy steak-and-kidney at the butcher's. I think you still can, here in the NE.

She made it in her beloved pressure cooker. I have made it myself, but as pressure cookers terrify me, it took a lot longer to cook, and it was a faff topping up the boiling water, so I rarely cooked suet puddings, though I love them.

I have a brilliant farm shop near me. In fact I have an oxtail from there in the freezer waiting for me to be inspired to cook it.

Bread is the great divider.

Oven Bottom muffins are probably what you are referring to.

Bunnies anyone?

One of the things I learned from the experience of moving at that tender age is that words for baked goods vary enormously across the country. In Scotland we knew a muffin as a sweet plain yeast-leavened bun, often sold in baker's shops split and filled with whipped cream and jam. Crumpets were like a thick very flat lacy pancake - maybe more like a Staffordshire pancake?. Soda scones didn't exist in Yorkshire.

Borsetshire must have some food specialities, you'd think.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
Borsetshire must have some food specialities, you'd think.

You would, wouldn't you. Hmmmm. I'll have a look in the "Jennifer Aldridge's" cookery books and see if anything is mentioned.

In which I have discovered, even if nothing else comes to light, that in 2009 Kate provided a recipe for Bobotie which lists "1lb minced beef" among its ingredients. Not even a vegetarian at that point, then.

But no recipe claims to be a Borsetshire Something or an Ambridge Doofah.

Funnily enough, since the thread took this turn of events, I had already found myself thinking that the local speciality cake should be an apple and cider cake.

Pershore can't be too far from Ambridge - they have a Plum Festival each year.

Lambs kidneys if you can get them.

Coventry God Cakes - Little Sugar Snaps
Soul Cakes from Shropshire - Little Sugar Snaps
Malvern Pudding (Custard Apple Pudding) - Little Sugar Snaps
There are other similar sites probably

TA is not from anywhere near Shropshire but they look good and the background looked interesting.

Lambs kidneys was what they had at Tesco, so that is what I have used. This aligns with the Hairy Bikers, and Sotheby's Restaurant chef Myles Fensome, but not with Delia or James Martin. And then there is Shay Cooper, who uses oxtail as opposed to the traditional braising steak, and veal kidneys for a touch of luxury. Apparently. Not something I shall bother to do!

Couldn’t be bothered to listen and just noticed I missed it anyway! Anything interesting? Too much to hope that Helen has already packed her bags?

We found out what happened to Hilda....

That doesn’t sound good

Don't worry she's alive and kicking.

She ran off with someone's chicken. Some poor Borsetshire MNer's family will starve for the next week.

The music the new tea room. Aargh. I can't be doing with music in any eating place, but classical turned down to subliminal levels would be just about OK.
Also not sure how artificial wisteria fits the Scandi vibe.

Anyway,Emma and Fallon are on a hiding to nothing objecting to Gnasher's views in any way. Just the manner in which she moved on to their views; her tone was not that of a proper item on the agenda, more of an afterthought.

This will not end well.

Faux-wisteria in bloom in January won't fool many.

Oh sounds like it might be worth a listen

most embarrassing moment with my normally placid dog was him chasing the owners chicken round the holiday house with me trying to get hold of him but of course chickens and dogs run much faster than me. Luckily the chicken made for a bush which slowed doggo down and I was able to grab him just as his jaws were about to close down on its neck🙄

(@Bruisername , I was jokingly referring to a thread in The Litter Tray. )

No relation to lardy cake then? I made that once. Half way through the cooking it seemed to be swimming in a sea of fat; by the time it was ready all the fat had been re-absorbed.

Yes, but yet another new home and yet another set of slaves to train. Poor puss!

where do you think she’ll end up?